Somebody in your family – Uncle Larry, Cousin Amy, your dad – somebody has incredibly acute hearing. You don’t even dare think of a secret if he or she is even in the neighborhood. These people seem to utilize a broader bandwidth in the information stream bombarding all of us. We call these unusually sensitive individuals psychics, or clairvoyants (or, less kindly, lunatics). The fact that many of these people are consulted yearly by that most pragmatic of organizations – police departments all over the country – is an indication that whatever we may think, at some level, these special people are truly effective and their abilities real.

Debbie Carvelli is one of these special people. Born in Clarksburg, W.Va., she realized at a young age that she was intuitive. By the time she was in high school, she was getting calls from all over the state as well as writing an astrology column.

While earning her B.S. in psychology from Salem College in Salem, W.Va., she was asked and consented to teach a course in parapsychology. Before she left Salem she also earned a B.S. in education then went on to earn a master’s in educational psychology from West Virginia University. She taught parapsychology at Parkersburg Community College and a nurse’s class at Camden-Clarke Hospital in Parkersburg. Since 1988 she has taught a course in parapsychology at Virginia Western Community College.

Along the way, Debbie has appeared on television in Clarksburg, done guest spots on the talk radio station in Morgantown, W.Va., worked with the police departments in several states, appeared on national television’s “Sightings” program and on Channel 7 News with Steve Pardon here in Roanoke, offering annual predictions over six years dealing with local, political and national events. She co-hosts ghost tours in the area. Some people might chuckle at that, but some truly skeptical attendees have finished an evening with Debbie with a new perspective and a new awareness.

We asked Debbie to help us with a look forward 30 years into the future of our valley and the magazine. The responses range from sort of mundane “well, of course”-type material to rather startling.

• The valley will no longer be the “allergy bowl” and a trap for polluted air. This is because an earthquake is going to open the valley at points, providing for more circulation.

• Part of the opening of the geologic valley will result from massive land development, and part of the cleaner air is going to result from non-fossil fueled automobiles.

• There will be more problems with water in Roanoke – both the river flooding and the increasing need for potable water.

• A military museum is going to be built in Roanoke.

• A new civic center will be built. It will be larger and well-equipped.

• Roanoke is going to play a larger and larger role in arts and sciences and will achieve international recognition for discoveries and presentations.

• Center in the Square is going to grow dramatically in size and scope.

• Art and artists will pour into the area.

• A new museum will be built to house all of the memorabilia tying Roanoke and the railroad.

• Drama and acting will gain more support attracting a larger group of actors to the area for more summer stock. Celebrity names will come to Roanoke.

• History awareness is going to blossom with new archeological finds and the resurrection of a manuscript dating from the 1700s that will be housed out of town until a new museum can be built to house and display it.

• Information will come to light about The Lost Colony of Roanoke.

• The year 2005 will be full of developments in the field of education.

• With the addition of new educational institutions will come support for a range of alternative health therapies.

• The airport will finally enlarge to accommodate enough air traffic to support economic growth and many more jobs.

• Roanoke will be awarded the “Kindness” award.

• A local athlete will compete in the Olympics.

• Technology will produce “firsts” (including medical firsts) that will bring Roanoke international attention.

• Cultural diversity will increase to the point that teachers will need to learn second languages, new houses of worship will be built for different faiths.

• A new comedy club will open and this time it will succeed.

• Oprah Winfrey will come to town.

• Animal hospitals will open that will also be teaching institutions.

• A military base will locate here.

• Bronze statues of famous Roanoke citizens will be erected around the downtown area.

• Crimes committed years ago will be solved.


• Roanoke is going to gain many more “sister” cities worldwide, and we will have more streets named for them.

• Solar energy is going to provide domestic energy in a big way.

• Good fortune is going to rain down on the Roanoke Valley and along with it government funds to make good things happen.

• The Roanoker magazine will grow in size and coverage. Many more national celebrities will grace its cover because they will have been in Roanoke. Additional publications will cover specifics such as the arts and sciences. One will be devoted exclusively to the art of China, and representatives from the magazine will travel to China.

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